Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker has officially announced his intent to return to the team for the 2026 season. He announced it on his Instagram, as shared by The Athletic's Colton Pouncy.
Decker, 31, has played his entire career with Detroit, and saw their lowest lows of the late 2010s and early 2020s, as well as their recent peaks. After dealing with several upper body injuries this past season which left him a lot less effective as a pass blocking co-star with Penei Sewell, Decker was a question mark for the roster. But, he'll be back for his 11th season.
This announcement comes a few hours after both Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell gave vague comments on Decker's future, with Holmes saying he'd like to get an answer from Decker about his decision before the start of the league year. Well, he sure did that.
The Lions likely knew of this plan, and they're hopefully still seeking to find a proper backup to Decker following the 2026 season.
Decker to return for 2026 season
A decade in, Decker is one of the best offensive lineman to ever wear the Lions uniform. Prior to his injury woes in 2025, he was one of the key pieces to a dominant pass protection and run blocking line that helped to catapult the Lions' offense in 2023 and 2024. But, he saw a major decline in production in 2025, his tenth year with the team.
Detroit will probably now adjust their entire draft strategy for the first round. While the left tackle position isn't the deepest in this 2026 class, there were still a few names worth monitoring on that front - Caleb Lomu, Kadyn Proctor, and Monroe Freeling all come to mind. Now, the Lions can probably wait to take a swing on a tackle.
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They're not trusting enough in Giovanni Manu to step into a backup role behind Decker, though, so maybe they will still look for a blue-chip prospect to train under Decker ahead of the 2027 season.
Free agency is set to begin soon, as well, and now, the Lions can probably look at some lower-cost left tackles to add depth back to the position. Additionally, they can also look at center as more of a high-cost position to invest in, which is a huge need for them ahead of the 2026 season. Pass rusher also comes to mind here.
Decker might not have a ton left in the tank depending on how his health is, but he's one of Detroit's best options for Jared Goff's blind side.